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Astros Activate Michael Brantley; Place Josh James On 10-Day IL

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The Astros have activated outfielder Michael Brantley from the 10-day injured list, as per a team announcement.  Brantley will be available for tonight’s game against the Padres, as he will immediately take the roster spot opened after right-hander Josh James was placed on the 10-day IL.  James is battling left hip discomfort.

Brantley is back after spending a minimal ten-day stint on the IL due to a right quad injury, though his activation comes as something of a surprise.  Manager Dusty Baker said just yesterday that he was “not real optimistic” that Brantley would be activated as soon as he was eligible to return, though apparently the veteran slugger showed good enough progress during pregame drills today that the Astros felt comfortable putting him back on the 28-man roster.

Since stepping on the foot of Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly during a play at first base on July 29, Brantley has been bothered by foot and quad problems, though it wasn’t stopping him from continuing to produce at the plate.  Brantley had been limited to DH duty, however, and Houston ultimately deciding an IL stint was necessary to get Brantley back in good enough health for regular outfield duty.  That choice may have been spurred by the return of Yordan Alvarez, though with Alvarez now gone for the season due to knee surgery, the DH spot will again be available for Brantley or any other Astros players to get a partial rest day.

Brantley’s return brings some relief to an Astros lineup that is already without Alvarez, Alex Bregman, and Aledmys Diaz.  Brantley has hit .286/.375/.446 over 64 PA this season, continuing the strong hitting that has defined much of Brantley’s career, though he has also dealt with his share of injuries over his 12 Major League seasons.

James’ injury seemed to arise on Thursday, as the righty had to be helped off the field after fielding a grounder during Thursday’s 10-8 Houston victory over the Rockies.  The IL placement continues what has already been a rough season for James, who has struggled in both the rotation and bullpen to the tune of a 10.97 ERA over 10 2/3 innings.

Identifying Potential Deadline Sellers

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The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies completed a trade on Friday, a rarity in this shortened season. While most pundits expect a quiet deadline 9 days from now, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal sees a template in Friday’s deal that might pave the way for more deals: “Desperate buyer. Eager seller. Cold hard cash to seal the deal.” That very well may be an equation that works, but there are a number of complications this trade season – including the identification of those “eager sellers.”

The Red Sox qualify, but it’s fair to wonder how many viable arms they have to move from the league’s worst pitching staff after sending two to Philly. The Angels begrudgingly find themselves with the worst record in the American League. The Mariners should be open for business again this year. The Rangers could have some interesting names if they decide to sell – especially from the rotation – currently 5 1/2 out of the wild card. The Tigers largely have the wrong combination of young players unlikely to move and veterans without much appeal, while the Royals rarely qualify as “eager sellers” no matter their position in the standings. Still, the tastemakers at the top of the American League have begun to pull away just enough to start some conversations with the cellar-dwellers.

It’s a different story in the National League, where the Pirates are the only team more than 2 1/2 games out of a wild card spot. Pittsburgh can dangle Keone Kela – if he’s healthy – and southpaw Derek Holland as well as some of their more controllable players, per MLB.com’s Adam Berry. Josh Bell would be the big fish here, and with a new regime in place and Bell off to a slow start, there could be the makings of a deal, but it’ll likely take some doing to pull him from the steel city. Trevor Williams and Adam Frazier are controllable, but both are 28-years-old and could do more for the Pirates’ future as trade bait. Richard Rodriguez, 30, is off to a great start (14-to-1 K/BB through 10 2/3 innings). Given the league-wide dearth of reliable/healthy bullpen arms, it’d be surprising to see Rodriguez survive trade season.

To illustrate the difficulty of finding an NL seller, we can stay in the same division. The Reds are off to a relatively disappointing 11-13 start, but that still places them just 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. They continue to be all-in this season, and they are hoping to add some talent, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Nightengale suggests they could look for a lefty bat to join the infield mix or to fortify their bullpen. The Reds might benefit most, however, from Eugenio Suarez finding his footing and Pedro Strop and Robert Stephenson returning to shore up the bullpen.

The other side of the deadline coin is finding the right prospects to ship out. Without minor league games to scout players, teams are mostly reliant on old or incomplete information. The Astros, for instance, could dangle top prospect Forrest Whitley, but after a disappointing 2019 and an injury early this season, it’s difficult to pinpoint his value. Still, new GM James Click isn’t taking anyone off the trade table for now, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. The Astros would appear to be selling low on Whitley, however, and given the bizarre circumstances of this season, they might see more value waiting to see if he returns to form.

AL Injury Notes: Simmons, Yankees, S. Perez, Astros

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The Angels reinstated Andrelton Simmons from the 10-day injured list and placed catcher Max Stassi (right quad strain, knee bruise) on the IL, the team announced. Simmons is back after a three-plus-week absence because of a sprained left ankle. It could be an interesting upcoming 10 days for Simmons, a soon-to-be free agent whom the non-contending Angels may choose to move before the Aug. 31 trade deadline. Regardless, the 30-year-old Simmons will spend the next month-plus trying to boost his stock before he reaches the open market for the first time in his career. He dealt with injury issues (including to his ankle) during a down season in 2019, and he has hit a mere .188/.188/.250 in 16 plate appearances this year.

  • Yankees manager Aaron Boone issued updates Friday on a few of their key players who are on the IL, telling WFAN (via Marly Rivera of ESPN.com) that right fielder Aaron Judge is “likely” to be in the Yankees’ lineup for their next game (that won’t be this weekend, as their series with the Mets was postponed). Judge has been down for a week with a mild calf strain. Meanwhile, second baseman DJ LeMahieu is doing “significantly better” as he recovers from the left thumb sprain that sent him to the IL last weekend. And reliever Zack Britton, whom the Yankees shelved Thursday with a strained left hamstring, should recover “on the shorter side.”
  • The Royals announced that they’ve placed catcher Salvador Perez on the IL, retroactive to Aug. 18, with left eye central serous chorioretinopathy and recalled left-hander Randy Rosario. Perez’s issue has bothered him since last weekend and hampered his vision, though it’s not believed to be a long-term problem. After missing all of last year because of Tommy John surgery, Perez was enjoying a strong return season with a .307/.326/.511 line, four home runs and a 25 percent caught-stealing percentage prior to going to the IL.
  • Astros outfielder Michael Brantley is eligible for activation Saturday, but manager Dusty Baker told Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle and other reporters he’s “not real optimistic” that will happen. It seems Brantley will need a bit more time to recover from a right quad injury that has kept him out since Aug. 11. Baker also suggested (via Rome) that yet another Astro – right-hander Josh James – will probably go on the IL. James suffered a hip injury and had to be helped off the field in Colorado on Thursday. That continued a nightmare of a season for James, who has surrendered 13 earned runs on 12 hits and 14 walks (with 13 strikeouts) in 10 2/3 innings.

Astros Place Alex Bregman On Injured List

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The Astros have placed third baseman Alex Bregman on the 10-day injured list due to a strained right hamstring, manager Dusty Baker announced to reporters Thursday (Twitter link via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). Bregman is traveling home to Houston to undergo an MRI and determine the severity of the injury. Left-hander Cionel Perez has been recalled from the Astros’ alternate training site to take Bregman’s spot on the roster.

Injuries continue to mount at an alarming rate for the Astros, who this week learned that Yordan Alvarez will require season-ending knee surgery. Houston has also received just one start from Justin Verlander in 2020, while closer Roberto Osuna is staring down a potential Tommy John surgery (though he’ll first attempt to rehab). Brad Peacock and Jose Urquidy, expected to be key members of the bullpen and rotation, respectively, have not thrown a pitch this year. Michael Brantley, meanwhile, has been on the IL for nearly a week and was sidelined prior to that due to a quadriceps strain. George Springer has missed time due to a wrist strain but is playing through it rather than going on the IL.

With Bregman out, the ’Stros will very likely turn third base over to young Abraham Toro. A well-regarded 23-year-old, Toro hasn’t hit much in limited Major League time yet, but he obliterated Double-A pitching (.306/.393/.513 in 435 PAs) and Triple-A pitching (.424/.506/.606 in 79 PAs) alike in 2019.

Houston’s DH situation is a bit more tenuous. Kyle Tucker is manning left field on a regular basis in the absence of Brantley. Alvarez is out for the season, and Toro could see regular reps at third for at least the immediate future. That’ll push one of Myles Straw, Jack Mayfield or rookie Taylor Jones into the lineup with regularity.

Alex Bregman Exits With Hamstring Injury

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9:50pm: Bregman left with hamstring discomfort and is day to day, Mark Berman of Fox 26 was among those to report.

8:41pm: Astros superstar third baseman Alex Bregman exited their game Wednesday with a potential leg or ankle injury, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Bregman departed immediately after limping to second base on a double.

More on the severity of Bregman’s issue should be known soon, though it’s obvious losing him for any extended period would be yet another massive blow to an injury-riddled Houston club. The Astros lost one of their premier hitters, Yordan Alvarez, for the season because of a knee injury Wednesday. They’ve also been without reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander for almost all of the campaign on account of a forearm strain, and there’s no word on when he could return. Furthermore, Michael Brantley, Roberto Osuna, Aledmys Diaz, Brad Peacock and Jose Urquidy are also on the IL right now.

To the Astros’ credit, they have overcome their injury obstacles to begin the season 13-10, just one game back of wild-card position. Bregman has helped keep them afloat with a .272/.374/.500 line and four home runs in 108 plate appearances. Those aren’t the otherworldly, MVP-type numbers Bregman put up from 2018-19, but they’re still far above the league average.

Yordan Alvarez To Undergo Surgery, Miss Rest Of Season

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4:38pm: Baker announced Alvarez will undergo surgery on a partial tear of his right patella tendon and miss the rest of the season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com tweets.

1:12pm: The Astros welcomed reigning AL Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez back for one game before knee troubles forced him from the lineup and eventually landed him on the injured list. Now, manager Dusty Baker tells Ross Villarreal of Sports Talk 790 in Houston that the slugger’s season is in jeopardy (Twitter link). “Yordan Alvarez, it looks like he’s done, maybe for the year,” Baker said of his designated hitter.

Knee troubles are nothing new for Alvarez, as he dealt with discomfort throughout his excellent rookie season and was hobbled during the original iteration of Spring Training as well. Details on the status of his knees have always been somewhat muddled, though. And as Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle points out (via Twitter), the Jeff Luhnow/A.J. Hinch regime and the James Click/Dusty Baker-led Astros have both been similarly vague when it comes to discussing Alvarez’s knees.

It’s been an injury-decimated season for the Astros. Justin Verlander has made just one start, while closer Roberto Osuna has been diagnosed with UCL damage. Brad Peacock and Jose Urquidy have yet to pitch. Right-hander Chris Devenski, Austin Pruitt and Rogelio Armenteros are all out with elbow troubles. On the position-player side of things, George Springer has been slowed by wrist troubles, and Houston has both Michael Brantley (quadriceps strain) and Aledmys Diaz (groin strain) on the 10-day IL at the moment.

Houston has reeled off six straight wins, boosting its record to 13-10 and surging back into the AL West race. They still trail the division-leading Athletics by two and a half games, but as the current second-place team in the AL West, they’re squarely in postseason position. The ’Stros have received huge performances from rookies Brandon Bielak and Cristian Javier in the rotation, which has helped to keep them afloat amid that barrage of injuries. Their schedule between now and the Aug. 31 trade deadline includes two games in Colorado, three in San Diego, three at home against the Angels and another three at home against the A’s. Houston’s play over the next two weeks will likely determine the deadline strategy, and that final three-game set against Oakland could be particularly pivotal in that regard.

AL Injury Notes: Yordan, White Sox, Donaldson, A’s

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Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez was out of their lineup for the second straight day on Monday on account of right knee soreness, and it doesn’t seem as if a return to a regular role is imminent. While Alvarez’s MRI on Monday came back negative, he may only be a pinch hitter for the club in the near term, Alyson Footer of MLB.com writes. Alvarez’s lack of availability (he didn’t debut until Aug. 14 because of coronavirus-related problems) has been an enormous blow to a Houston team that has also dealt with several other significant health woes in the early going. The club lost yet another standout Saturday when it placed outfielder Michael Brantley on the IL with a right quad injury.

  • General manager Rick Hahn issued updates Monday on a pair of injured White Sox, second baseman Nick Madrigal and left-hander Aaron Bummer (Twitter links via James Fegan of The Athletic). The news on Madrigal is encouraging, as Hahn said the rookie has resumed “virtually all baseball activities” and remains on track to return by the end of this month after separating his shoulder Aug. 5. On the other hand, there’s no timetable for Bummer, who went to the IL on Aug. 8 with a left biceps strain. The groundball-heavy Bummer was off to a great start before then and seemed as if he was on his way to a second straight season as one of the game’s most effective relievers. Now, Bummer only has a little more than a month to return to regular-season action, and he’ll have to go through a throwing program before then.
  • Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson isn’t dealing with any issues in his recovery from a right calf strain, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. Donaldson went on the IL on Aug. 7, and it remains unclear when the big-money offseason signing will return to their lineup. The 34-year-old came out of the gates slowly prior to the injury, albeit over a mere 27 plate appearances, as he hit .182/.296/.318 with one home run. Nevertheless, The Twins have started 15-8 and sit atop the AL Central – a division they won last season.
  • Athletics right-hander Burch Smith headed to the IL over the weekend with a a forearm strain, which is always ominous for a pitcher. Manager Bob Melvin said Monday that Smith does not have any structural damage, but it’s up in the air whether he’ll pitch again in 2020, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle relays. Smith has been part of a slew of organizations, but he finally seemed to find a home in Oakland this season before the injury. The 30-year-old has logged a 2.25 ERA/2.30 FIP with 9.75 K/9 and 0.75 BB/9 in 12 innings from the A’s bullpen.

Injury Notes: Alvarez, Pham, Franmil, Judge

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Yordan Alvarez was a late scratch from today’s Astros lineup, as the young slugger continues to battle knee issues.  Manager Dusty Baker told the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome and other reporters that Alvarez arrived at the ballpark feeling knee soreness, which Baker suspected was from an awkward slide into third base during Saturday’s game.  Alvarez has been dealing with bad knees throughout his young career, and he has already been limited to DH duty for this season.

Since past tests haven’t revealed any structural problems, it could be that Alvarez’s knees could simply limit him going forward, perhaps both in 2020 and beyond.  It certainly isn’t what you want to see from a 23-year-old player, especially one who has been so productive even amidst this knee pain, and Baker acknowledged that the team will keep a close eye on managing Alvarez for the rest of the season.

More on some of the many injury situations popping up on a daily basis around baseball…

  • Tommy Pham was removed during a ninth-inning at-bat during today’s Padres/Diamondbacks game.  Pham was seemingly favoring his hand after hitting a foul ball, and left after a consultation with a team trainer.  This is the second straight game Pham has left early, as he was removed during the second inning of Saturday’s contest due to cramping in both calves.  However, he was back in today’s starting lineup as the DH and didn’t seem any worse for wear, going 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. [UPDATE: the Padres are worried Pham has a broken hamate bone, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.]
  • Franmil Reyes hit two home runs during the Indians’ 8-5 victory over the Tigers today, though Reyes’ big day had a painful ending after he was hit in the left hand by a pitch during a ninth-inning plate appearance.  Reyes was removed from the game, though he was diagnosed with only a contusion after x-rays were negative.  It seems likely Reyes will miss a game or two, though an injured list placement doesn’t seem likely at this point.  Reyes has been one of the few highlights for a struggling Cleveland lineup, as Reyes has hit .316/.366/.553 with five home runs.
  • Aaron Judge’s 10-day IL stint may be a minimal one, as the Yankees star told Newsday’s Roger Rubin and other media that he is already recovered from his minor calf strain just two days after his placement.  “I was begging for just a couple days…and I don’t need 10 days to be feeling good.  I already feel 100 percent now,” Judge said.  While Judge is “frustrated with myself not being out there,” he “wouldn’t say I’m frustrated with the organization.  This shows how much the organization cares for me and looks out for my well-being.”  Given how much time Judge (and other Yankees players) have missed due to injury in recent years, it makes sense that the club would be as cautious as possible in making sure a seemingly minor injury didn’t blossom into a bigger issue.

Astros Place Michael Brantley On 10-Day Injured List

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The Astros have placed Michael Brantley on the 10-day injured list due to right quad discomfort, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) and other reporters.  Brantley’s placement is backdated to August 12.  A roster replacement won’t be announced until prior to the Astros’ game tomorrow.

An IL stint may have been inevitable for Brantley, who has been bothered by leg problems since he stepped on Joe Kelly’s foot during a play at first base back on July 29.  Brantley has been used exclusively as a DH or pinch-hitter over his last 10 games, and he also missed Houston’s last two contests due to his quad.

Despite being less than 100 percent, Brantley has still been his usual productive self, hitting .286/.375/.446 with a home run over 64 plate appearances.  His absence is yet another blow to an Astros team that has been hit hard with injuries this season, though at least in this case, Houston has something of a ready-made DH replacement since Yordan Alvarez was just activated off the IL yesterday.  An ideal scenario for the Astros would see Brantley return from the injured list recovered and ready to play the outfield, to avoid a designated hitter timeshare with Alvarez since the younger slugger has already been slated for DH-only duty.

Astros Activate Yordan Alvarez

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The Astros announced Friday that they’ve activated designated hitter Yordan Alvarez from the injured list. Righty Nivaldo Rodriguez was optioned to the team’s alternate training site to make space on the 28-man roster. This will mark the 2020 debut for Alvarez, last year’s American League Rookie of the Year. The 23-year-old has yet to suit up for the ’Stros after also missing all of Summer Camp.

Alvarez burst onto the scene in 2019, appearing in 87 games down the stretch and overpowering opposing pitchers with a gaudy .313/.412/.655 batting line, 27 home runs and 26 doubles in just 369 trips to the plate. He served primarily as a designated hitter, which is likely to be his primary role with the club moving forward, but Alvarez does experience at first base and in left field. Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle tweets, however, that Astros skipper Dusty Baker said this week that Alvarez won’t be playing the outfield when he returns. That could make it tough to get Alvarez and Michael Brantley in the lineup early, as Brantley has been hobbled by a quadriceps issue and working as the Houston DH recently.

The return of Alvarez is a boon for an Astros roster that has been ravaged by injury and underperformance throughout the season. Justin Verlander is sidelined for a yet-to-be-determined chunk of time owing to a forearm strain, and closer Roberto Osuna is dealing with a UCL injury that could necessitate Tommy John surgery. Pitchers Jose Urquidy, Brad Peacock, Austin Pruitt, Rogelio Armenteros, Joe Biagini and Cionel Perez are all on the injured list as well, and star center fielder George Springer has been slowed by a wrist strain over the past week.

The result is an Astros club that currently sits third in the AL West at 8-10. Houston’s collective .238/.330/.403 batting line translates to a 106 wRC+ that ranks ninth among big league teams. The pitching staff ranks 11th in ERA (4.09) but 20th in FIP (4.46) and 25th in xFIP (4.77). The Astros trail the division-leading Athletics (13-6) by four and a half games and the second-place Rangers (8-9) by half a game.

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